Puneet Sira

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Puneet Sira
Born (1967-12-03) 3 December 1967 (age 56)
London, England
Occupation(s)Film Director, Producer
Spouse
​
(m. 2010)​
ChildrenShaan Sira, Simran Sira
RelativesVikram Dhillon (brother-in-law)
Awards2009 SAFF Director Award: Kisaan

Puneet Sira is a British and

Bollywood
feature film director and producer who formed The Foundry which is actively developing original IPs in house and producing feature films, television series, animation projects and its multi award winning podcasts.

His tenure at

Baweja Movies
is the highest rated show in the animation bracket in India.

Biography

Early career

Sira started his career as an actor in the UK at the age of nine as a beggar boy in Annie Besant, The Warrior's Return[2](1977) as part of The Velvet Glove series for the BBC, directed by Philip Saville.[3] Puneet went on to play in the feature film Arabian Adventure[4](1979). He played the lead role of Majeed, directed by Kevin Connor. In the same year Puneet played Kasava Minor in the BBC series To Serve Them All My Days[5] (1979).

In 1980 Sira was the youngest member to participate in Comex 10, a commonwealth expedition sponsored by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[6] Founded by Lieutenant Colonel Lionel Gregory, OBE, Comex 10 was an expedition where 40 artistes from all commonwealth countries toured India performing variety acts in every city visited.

More acting work followed from

Yorkshire Television), London's Burning (London Weekend Television), The Moneymen (London Weekend Television), The Park (Regent Productions), The Betrothed (LIFS) and the highly acclaimed Walkers Poppadoms Commercial, The Rocking Sikh directed by Paul Weiland
.

Film-making career

Sira became an assistant director at BBC Films Department on films such as Hallelujah Anyhow[7](1991) (Screen Two) starring Keith David, Sweet Nothing[8](1990) (Screen One) and Can You Hear Me Thinking?[9](1991) starring Judi Dench. He freelanced on Flying Colors (1993), Memsahib Rita (1994), Blue Baby (1994) before venturing into directing his own films like Strings (1996) which he also wrote and produced.

Sira was the director of the London Academy of Acting (a school founded by his father, Gurdial Sira in 1970), where he would teach acting for film. He set up an actors' agency, Talent Introduction Centre (T.I.C.), where he provided work for Asian actors in the UK.

Casting director was another title to Sira's credit: films such as

Christoper Lee, Flight[10](1992) (BBC Screen One), directed by Alex Pillai, Immaculate Conception (1992) directed by Jamil Dehlavi, Memsahib Rita[11] (1994) and Frantz Fanon – Black Skin, White Mask (1996) directed by Isaac Julien. On the American feature film Passion in the Desert
(1997) Sira worked on production.

Sira lectured on basic film making at Middlesex University and Italia Conti Acting Academy as a visiting lecturer.

In 1998, Sira became the executive producer for

I - Proud To Be An Indian (2004), Jai Veeru (2009) and Kisaan
(2009).

As a screenwriter Sira wrote

Spiceboy for Miracle Films. Sira had written The Steal
and Sanatta.

Sira and Vikram Dhillon are partners in The Foundry, a production company which has developed several feature films as well as several IP for the major OTT platforms globally

Filmography

Title Year Designation Genre Company Note
Pride and Prejudice[12] 2023 Producer Audio Series The Foundry / Audible The Foundry's original adaption into Hindi

Winner of "Best Audiobook Narration" Golden Mikes Radio & Audio Awards (2023).

Sherlock Holmes Ki Romanchak Kahaniyan[13] 2022 Producer Audio Series The Foundry / Audible The Foundry's original adaption into Hindi.

Winner of "Best Audiobook Narration" Golden Mikes Radio & Audio Awards (2023).

Winner of "The Best Story Narration based on a Book" e4m Play Streaming Media Awards (2023)

Kama Sutra[14] 2022 Producer Audio Book The Foundry / Audible The Foundry's original adaption into Hindi.

Winner of "Audio Book of the Year" India Audio Summit & Awards (2022)

Karmabhoomi[15] 2022 Producer Audio Series The Foundry / Audible
Raat Hone Ko Hai 2022 Producer / Series Director Animation Series The Foundry / Ishara TV Limited Series
Super V 2019-2020 Series Director Superhero Animation Series
Baweja Movies
The Great Punjabi Luv Shuv Story Under Production Director / Producer Web Series Altbalaji / Eyeline Entettainment
Ji Karda Under Production Producer / Story Feature Film Eyeline Entertainment Dir: Vikram Dhillon
Photo Jatt Di 2018 Producer Music Video The Foundry Dir: Vikram Dhillon
November 2 2018 Producer Music Video The Foundry Dir: Vikram Dhillon
Marr Ke Khuda 2018 Producer Music Video The Foundry Dir: Vikram Dhillon
Pinky Moge Wali 2012 Special Thanks Feature Film Kapil Batra Productions Dir: Vikram Dhillon
Kisaan 2009 Director Feature Film Sohail Khan Productions SAFF L.A. Award: Director
Jai Veeru 2009 Director Feature Film Venus / Siddhi Vinayak Movies
Kurbani
 2008 Writer Feature Film F.K. International Dir: Feroz Khan
Flipped Campaign: MTV Arabia
 2006 Director 9 Commercials
MTV Arabia
/ Raj Taru (Dubai) 		Series of 9 commercials for the "Flipped" campaign.
Jawani 2004 Producer Music Video Aura Entertainment Dir: Vikram Dhillon
Rog Judaayian 2004 Producer Music Video Aura Entertainment Dir: Dharmendra Suresh Desai & Vishal Sethi
I-Proud To Be An Indian
 2004 Director / Writer Feature Film Sohail Khan Productions
Jataka Tales 2003 Director / Producer Television Kavya Films / Miracle Films
Spiceboy
 2003 Writer Feature Film Miracle Films
Sanatta 2002 Director / Producer / Writer Television Miracle Films
Society Achiever's Awards 2002 Producer Television Visual-Eyes Entertainment
Society Magazine: A Class Act 2001 Director / Producer / Writer 3 Commercials Visual-Eyes Entertainment / Magna Publishing Series of commercials for the "A Class Act" campaign.
The Steal 2000 Director / Producer / Writer Television
Star TV
India
[V] Dares You 1999 Executive producer Television
(Star TV)
Challenge 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
The Juice 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Cool Maal 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Sophiya's Choice 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Patli Galli 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Style Police 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Late Night [V] 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
[V] People 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
The Chair 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
[V] On Campus 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
[V] Saba 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Tea with [V} 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Li[V]e Video Requests 1999 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Flashback 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
First Day First Show 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Maang Ta Hai 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
By Demand 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Flashback 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
OYE 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
House Arrest 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Rewind 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Speak Easy 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
The Ticket 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Soul Curry 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
House of Noise 1998 Executive producer Television Channel V (Star TV)
Jinnah 1998 Casting Director Feature Film Petra Films (UK) Dir: Jamil Dehlavi
Strings 1997 Director / Producer / Writer Film Global Pictures (UK)
Passion In The Desert 1997 Production Secretary Feature Film Roland Films (UK) Dir: Lavinia Currier
World Beach Volleyball Championship 1996 Director Sports Television ESPN / Procam Sports
Last Cloud on Margalla Hills 1996 Director Theatre
Oval House Theatre
(UK)
Franz Fannon
– Black Skin White Mask 		1996 Casting Director Television BBC / Normal Films Dir: Issac Julien
Flight 1996 Casting Director Feature Film
BBC Films
/ Hindi Pictures 		Dir: Alex Pillai
Memsahib Rita 1994 Assistant director Film
BBC Films / Leda Serene Films
 Dir: Pratibha Parmar
Flying Colours 1993 Casting Director / Assistant Director Film N.F.T.S. Dir: Alex Pillai
Blue Baby 1993 Assistant director Film N.F.T.S.
Immaculate Conception 1992 Casting Director Feature Film Dehlavi Films (UK) Dir: Jamil Dehlavi
Day Twelve 1991 Director / Writer / Producer Short Film CBFW Clapham & Battersea Film Festival
Hallelujah Anyhow 1991 Assistant director Feature Film BBC Films Dir: Matthew Jacobs
Can You Hear Me Thinking? 1990 Assistant director Feature Film BBC Films Dir: Christopher Morahan
Sweet Nothing 1990 Assistant director Feature Film BBC Films Dir: Tony Smith
Dec 14 1990 Director / Writer / Producer Short Film CBFW Clapham & Battersea Film Festival
The Betrothed 1990 "Arjun" Actor Film L.I.F.S.
The Paradise Club 1989 "Elvis" Actor Television Zenith Entertainment Dir: Murray Smith
Why Couples Break Up 1989 "Lover" Actor Television Yorkshire Television
Entertainment Tonight 1988 Self Television US Television
Night Network 1988 Self Television London Weekend Television
The Rocking Sikh 1988 "Rocking Sikh" Actor Commercial The Weiland Company Dir: Paul Weiland
London's Burning 1988 "Indian Waiter" Actor Television London Weekend Television Dir: John Reardon
The Money Men 1987 "Dealer" Actor TV movie London Weekend Television Dir: John Bruce
How We Used To Live
 1987 "Sanjay" Actor Television
Yorkshire Television
Comex 10 1980 Variety Act Theatre Commonwealth Expedition Dir: Colonel Lionel Gregory

Sponsored by: The Duke of Edinburgh - Prince Philip

To Serve Them All My Days 1980 "Kasava Minor" Actor Television BBC Series Dir: Ronald Wilson
Arabian Adventure 1979 "Majeed" Actor Feature Film EMI / Badger Films Dir: Kevin Connor
The Four Feathers 1978 "Arab Boy" Voice (uncredited) Feature Film Trident Films Dir: Don Sharp
The Velvet Glove – Warriors Return 1977 "Indian Boy" Actor Television BBC Series Dir: Philip Saville

Awards

SAFF Awards:

  • 2009: SAFF Award for Direction (Kisaan)

References

  1. ^ "Kissan (April 2009) – Under Production". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  2. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Saville, Philip (1930-) Credits". www.screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  3. ^ "BFI Screenonline: Saville, Philip (1930-) Credits". www.screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Arabian Adventure – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  5. ^ "BBC - to Serve Them All My Days - Episode guide". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Duke gives expedition royal finale". The Sunday Times. 21 December 1980.
  7. ^ Hallelujah Anyhow (1991), retrieved 7 September 2020
  8. ^ Sweet Nothing (1990), retrieved 7 September 2020
  9. ^ Can You Hear Me Thinking? (1990), retrieved 7 September 2020
  10. ^ "FRANCES-ANNE SOLOMON ||| Filmmaker | Writer | Producer | Flight". Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Memsahib Rita". Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  12. ^ Audible.com | Try Audible Free Today.
  13. ^ Audible.com | Try Audible Free Today.
  14. ^ Audible.com | Try Audible Free Today.
  15. ^ Audible.com | Try Audible Free Today.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Puneet_Sira&oldid=1213244273"